As part of Roxbury Schools sustainability initiative, we strive to teach our students, staff, and community how to live a more sustainable life and what better way to start then in the garden!

Each of our Roxbury Schools offers a host of opportunities for our school community to learn and grow.

Aeroponic Gardens

Thanks to Sustainable Jersey for Schools and the NJEA, six of our seven schools have one or more aeroponic gardens located inside their school buildings.

The introduction of aeroponic gardens to our schools traces back to the vision of incorporating cutting-edge agricultural practices into our educational environment. Inspired by the need to promote sustainability, food literacy, and hands-on learning, the decision to implement these gardens was rooted in a desire to redefine our approach to food production and consumption. The history of these gardens is marked by a commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship, as we sought to create a tangible link between classroom knowledge and real-world applications. By integrating aeroponic gardens, we aimed to empower students with a deeper understanding of plant growth, nutrition, and the intricate interplay between science and sustainable living.

Outdoor Soil-Based Plots & Raised Bed Gardens

Roxbury Township is fortunate to reside in a beautiful spralling suburb in northern New Jersey with picturesque grounds allowing our schools to bring the learning to life outdoors. Our outdoor garden spaces create a thriving hub of experiential education and exemplifying the remarkable advantages of immersive outdoor learning. Through this innovative approach, students are seamlessly woven into the fabric of the natural world, fostering a profound connection that ignites their curiosity and sparks a deep appreciation for the environment. This outdoor space serves as a dynamic arena where students don't just absorb information, but actively participate in their own learning journey. Engaging directly with the natural surroundings, they embark on explorations that extend beyond the confines of traditional indoor instruction. Whether it's cultivating vibrant gardens, designing sustainable landscapes, or observing the intricate ecosystem dynamics, students immerse themselves in hands-on activities that invigorate their senses and nurture a holistic development. Physical activity becomes an integral part of their learning process, invigorating both body and mind. As they dig, plant, and create, they simultaneously cultivate life skills, teamwork, and a sense of responsibility toward their surroundings. Throughout the year, this enchanting outdoor space blossoms into a thriving arena of learning. Students engage in the rhythms of nature, witnessing its transformations firsthand, and in turn, fostering a profound sense of stewardship.

Franklin Falcons Gardens are Growing Inside and Out!

We're not just growing minds at Franklin School but we're also growing (and tasting) greens in our two aeroponic gardens. These garden towers were purchased thanks to grant funding from Sustainable Jersey for Schools and NJEA Grant program. We started the year off with a variety of greens including Basil, Kale, Auriga, Rainbow Chard, Bib Lettuce, and Gourmet Lettuce.

The produce grown at the school is used to supply our students, staff, families, and the community with fresh produce. Before distributing them to our school community, we like to do taste testing with our kiddos! Students in grades 1-3 observe the life cycle of plants and what better way to experience it than first hand?

Our first-graders attended a lesson on harvesting recently and participated in a taste test of spinach and chard. Students were given a leaf of each and had to describe the textures, colors, smells, and tastes.

Thanks to Franklin School's Early Act Club, they worked last spring to clean up and plant flowers, shrubs, and herbs in the Franklin Courtyard Garden so it would be ready for this fall. See the before and after pictures above! 

Since 2016, the Roxbury Township Public Schools has been striving to become more sustainable and green in its policies and practices. The Board of Education and administration made the decision to pursue district sustainability and green initiatives when they teamed up with Sustainable Jersey for Schools, a certification program for NJ public schools that want to go green, conserve resources and take steps to create a bright future, one school at a time. Click here to read more about Sustainable Jersey for Schools.

All seven Roxbury Schools first earned Bronze certification in 2018 and have maintained it ever since with Roxbury High School earning Silver in August 2023.

Nixon's Husky Garden in Action 2022/2023